And now…the long awaited chapter 4…Enjoy and review. Oh- one more thing- this is Pre-ToS.

Part IV: Kvar

Most people think that we Desians are barbaric, foul, creatures. I would care to differ. As one of the Five Desian Cardinals, I am sophisticated, brilliant, and most of all, ambitious. The ideal equation for power and wealth, I must say. Who wouldn't want to be me? So, of course, I take my job very seriously. Any opportunity to show my lord Yggdrasil that I am the superior being that I am I will take. That is how the Angelus Project came into being.

Yes, Lord Yggdrasil had long been looking for a way to cultivate the Cruxis Crystal on host beings and then transferring them. It was for his grand scheme of "The Age of The Half-Elves"- a very good plan, if I must say. So, in the coming Age of Half-Elves' honor, I decided to present my lord with the best gift ever- a Cruxis Crystal. I would of course be then in high favor with our leader, and hopefully then take over that old hag Pronyma's position as Leader of the Five Cardinals! Splendid! I lost no time in finding the ideal host body- there are only so many good humans in this pathetic world. And I found one- AO12, human name, Anna. She was perfect- her mana signature was strong, and she had that thing humans call spirit. As I said before, she was perfect. We began the experiment.

Time flew, and before I knew it, my underlings were reporting that the Crystal was nearing complete formation. I eagerly sent word to Lord Yggdrasil. He was pleased with my work, and announced that he would come to oversee the completion of the Cruxis Crystal. However, imagine my surprise when a red- haired human showed up at the doorstep, stating that there had been a change in plans and that he, Kratos Aurion, one of the Four Seraphim, would be overseeing the completion instead. Well, the man was human, so I could barely disguise my disgust. How had this pathetic inferior being managed to garner enough favor to be named one of the Four Seraphim? It was astounding, even mind- boggling! However, he seemed to not be lying, so I consented.

After a couple of days, I noticed something funny. The man, Aurion, was acting strangely, especially whenever AO12 was in the vicinity. He would stare at her for a while, brown eyes softening slightly. I dismissed this behavior as nothing but perhaps a tidbit of pity for the girl. I was wrong. Later on the night before we were scheduled to remove the Cruxis Crystal, one of the guards came running towards me as I was heading back to my chambers. His face was bloody, and he was panting. He told me that Kratos Aurion had just left the ranch with AO12, Anna, in hand. Or rather, in grasp. I reacted immediately, telling the guard to send out search parties at once, while I informed Lord Yggdrasil. Those search parties never came back. I assume Kratos killed them, but then, they were of little consequence. There were always more Desian troops to take their place. What I couldn't afford to lose was the Cruxis Crystal and AO12. It was unacceptable. How had a mere human managed to outwit the smartest and most brilliant of the Cardinals? Again, I was at loss for words on the subject.

After about three years, my spies gave me a piece of information that almost brought tears of joy to my face. But of course that would never happen- I AM a half-elf after all, and crying because of a pathetic piece of information was MOST human in definition. Heh…my lord Yggdrasil…you can not possibly imagine the amount of pleasure that was coursing through my body as I told you, told everyone that we had finally discovered Kratos' location, that we could now hunt him to the best of our extent. And this time, I was not rejected.

You agreed, my lord.

"Go, Kvar, my faithful Cardinal. Bring me my lost seraph and the Cruxis Crystal here. I want Kratos ALIVE. Do not kill him…or there will be consequences. Do you understand?"

"Of course, Lord Yggdrasil."

"Good. You have your orders."

"My lord…what of AO12? Do you want her too along with Aurion, or do you want just the Cruxis Crystal?"

"Hmmm…I suppose it matters not, but I think Kratos would prefer to have her alive, if not for just a short while. Heh…yes, do try and bring her in alive. I need to see this girl that stole my Kratos from me…"

"I will make sure that I will not fail, Lord Yggdrasil."

"I am sure you will not, Kvar…"

I appeared calm, as always, but inside, I was riding a wave of ecstasy. The thrill of the hunt has always lured me to it. Now, this was no regular animal or host hunt…

This was a manhunt- my favorite.

We cornered him finally, after so long, in the forests of Iselia. I had asked the Cardinal that ran the nearby ranch, Forcystus, for reinforcements. He agreed, but told me that he himself would not come out to join us. I was disappointed, but, all the more glory when I brought a humbled Aurion before my lord- I would be rewarded beyond my dreams.

He fought us, the girl behind him, cowering in the background, clutching a bundle in her arms, a huge green-and-white monster standing by her. He fought well, but I had already anticipated the seraph's abilities. I had already mapped his strengths. A battle does not begin in the fighting.

It begins in the mind.

I had figured out Aurion's weakness; I had found his vulnerability-

Anna. AO12.

I sent some of my men around the other way. They caught AO12 unawares as she watched her husband defend her. And, just like I had thought, the fighting abruptly stopped. Aurion froze. He stared at me with growing horror. Oh, I always LOVE the emotions of a human as they face fear. They react so beautifully. I had my guards bring Anna to me. She tried to fight, but my men were too strong for her. Heh…pathetic humans…always trying to delay fate. Aurion's eyes widened-and then narrowed sharply.

"Kvar…what the hell are you doing!"

"Now, now, Kratos. Watch your language. I am doing nothing. All I am doing is following orders. Orders to find YOU. Surely you must know how much Lord Yggdrasil misses you. He has asked me to…'retrieve' you, if you will. Now, submit to my commands, or face your wife's death."

"If you haven't noticed, he's a higher rank than you." Anna's cold voice swept through. She gave a grim smile as she tried futilely to escape her capturers' grasp.

"Let me go now you creep!"

"Ah…AO12…spirited as always. Heh…and I see that you still have my Cruxis Crystal! Excellent. Now, let's retrieve what is rightfully mine." I moved to remove the Crystal on her hand.

"NO!" Kratos leapt forwards, and then was stopped by the crossed swords of two of my men at his neck. He stood there, seething.

"Ah, come now Kratos…I am only doing what's best for you. Surely a person of HIGHER rank than I would know better than to fall in love with an inferior being. But- ah! - I forgot- you're an inferior being as well. It figures. I always did wonder how you were in such high favor with Lord Yggdrasil. I still am wondering."

"LET HER GO! SHE'S NOT INVOLVED IN THIS, KVAR!"

"Oh really? Now Kratos, the whole reason why I am here is BECAUSE of Anna."

"I DON'T CARE! JUST…JUST…KEEP HER OUT OF THIS!"

I remember taunting him some more…Kratos knocking my guards out of the way, running towards me, flaming sword gleaming as he ran towards me, oblivious to his many wounds which were dripping red down onto the forest floor. I remember sneering…and then…

Digging my hand into AO12's flesh and ripping the Cruxis Crystal out. It gleamed in my hand, blue perfection. I watched as her mana went out of control, Kratos stopping in horror. My laughing. A monstrous green-flecked arm knocking me against a tree and sending the Cruxis Crystal flying out of my hand. The collision knocked me out. When I came to, my men reported all that had come to pass- Kratos killing Anna, her plunge over the edge with the bundle and the weird dog-like creature. Kratos had gone after them a short while after. We followed, and found him standing alone in a clearing. He stared bleakly ahead, not moving. When my men surrounded him, he did nothing. Just stared. And then, he let out an un-human scream of pain and fury.

"YOU…YOU…YOU BASTARDS!"

He lunged one last time, slicing, hacking, not caring about what happened to him. I suppose losing both his wife and apparently his child was what was driving him over the edge. Many a Desian lay on the forest floor that day. Carnage everywhere. Kratos attacking in blind rage. Finally, I summoned the most of my magic…and cast Thunder Blade. The magic was enough to send him flying, crashing into one of the trees that I had previously hit. He fell limply, sliding down the trunk.

After that, I sent him back to Derris Kharlan. Mithos praised me. I glowed with pride. I, not that fool Pronyma, had managed to capture one of the great Four Seraphim…and survived. However, my joy was short-lived.

My Cruxis Crystal was still missing. And I want it now. I will do whatever it takes to find it. Even if it means going on another hunt…but…that's perfectly acceptable.

Because this wolf is ready for another hunt.

End Part IV

A/N: Another twisted POV- Kvar. The guy's such an annoying butt head. I hate him. However, it's easy to imagine the self-satisfied smirk he always seems to have on his face in ToS. And yes, I know Kratos was a little OOC in the end...but hey! The guy just had to kill his wife!

AND NOW, A REQUEST FROM THE AUTHORESS: Hey, my readers! Part V is coming up (right after I update my other fic), and I'm out of people! I'm taking suggestions for who to write later- and don't say Lloyd! I'm saving him for last, so little foreshadow there. Just tell me in your review, and who knows? I might just decide to write it!